The shining Shoko Toyokawa

The two of them fought with beam sabers for 10086 rounds before the winner was finally decided... Of course, there was no such situation where the avenue was completely obliterated.

The speed at which the two decided the winner made gamblers cry out that there was something fishy going on!

After only a few rounds of attack and defense, the Storm Girl, who was good at fast attack, was defeated without any warning.

Before exiting the simulation map, Maya took a complicated look at the hell she had created.

She didn't know if she still had the courage to become a demon in order to change the world.

But after spending a few days with that enthusiastic girl, she gradually regained the courage to move forward.

"Nina, you're such a troublesome girl..."

Maya opened the cabin door and saw the girl looking at her angrily from outside.

"Why? Why didn't I block Maya-san's attack in the end?! I clearly reacted!"

Maya walked over and rubbed her head, explaining with a smile: "Because you are tired."

"This is probably the first time you've experienced such a long battle like today,"

"At times like these, you can't trust your brain or your body. You have to think two or three steps ahead."

A few seconds ago, someone who thought that Nina was 'troublesome', now patiently explained.

This petite girl, who is like a powder keg and easily ignites, is also stubborn.

For the 'shameful' Maya, it had a strange attraction, just like an old father meeting his own daughter.

"Well, I'll talk to you later. We have other things to do now."

The girl looked at her back thoughtfully. She felt that Maya seemed a little different from before.

But she couldn't say what it was exactly.

"Nina, it's coming soon,"

“Oh, here it comes!”

Renai responded and quickly followed her.

"Well, it's definitely a good thing that Maya-san has changed."

She didn't dwell on it anymore, but followed Maya to the podium.

Looking at the blonde girl standing on the top of the podium, attracting everyone's attention, yet she did not flinch but was calm and confident.

Renai finally realized what was different about her.

The first place is one level higher than the second place.

As the leader of the Thornless, the responsibilities she needs to bear are more than just a simple one-level advancement...

"Are you ready?"

George, who was standing on the other side of Maya, suddenly asked this question without any context.

But Rencai could understand what he meant——

Are you ready to take responsibility?

The host began to present the trophy to the third place winner George. Facing the camera and microphone, he just shook his head, saying that he had nothing to say and that it was indeed unfair for him to get the third place.

After receiving the trophy, Rencai didn't even look at the direction of the camera, but just stared blankly at the blonde girl standing on the "high ground".

It is absolutely right that someone must defeat Caius!

But the girl felt a little regretful.

Maybe she shouldn't force Maya to do something she doesn't want to do...

"Congratulations, Maya, on winning the championship."

Therefore, when Maya didn't take the trophy handed to her by the host, but jumped off the podium, the girl felt a little relieved.

"I'm ready,"

But Maya did not escape. She took the host's microphone and answered George's question directly.

Then choose… to take responsibility!

"Everyone on the moon, everyone who enjoys this game, I'm very sorry that I didn't come here for the trophy today."

"Many viewers on TV and online may not know me, so please allow me to introduce myself first,"

"My name is Maya Hilbert. Yes, I'm the one who declared war on Caius a few days ago without knowing the consequences."

The two hosts looked for help at the blond entrepreneur in the front row. The latter shook his head slightly, indicating that they should not meddle in other people's business.

The two men retreated to the blind spot of the camera as if they had been pardoned, leaving the three of them standing in the picture.

"After the brutal war of unification, whether we are human beings on Earth or in the universe, Slavs or Russians, there is no longer any distinction between you and me—"

"The federal government is spreading this message to the public. This is good! It declares that the era of planning to drop asteroids on Earth because of war and racial tensions is over."

"But now, those led by Caius, whose souls are bound by the past war, have divided people into two categories—"

"Federal citizens and remnants of the old times,"

"Why don't they understand?"

"This practice of categorizing people will only cause humanity to repeat past tragedies!"

"If this barbaric policy continues, the world will surely be filled with endless conflict in the future!"

"To prevent the world from sliding into such a horrible future, we, Thornless, were established a few days ago, and in our first battle with Caius, we achieved an overwhelming victory!"

"But compared to Caius, who has been operating for many years and bullying ordinary people, the power of Thornless is ultimately too weak..."

The blond captain opened his arms as if to embrace the whole world.

"Everyone, there's only one last step!"

"Humanity is only one step away from reaching a world where...there are no distinctions between race or origin, where everyone is 'us.'"

"Please lend us your strength!"

"Let us defeat Caius together and journey to that beautiful world together!"

"If so... the souls who perished in the Unification War can finally rest in peace!"

"Thornless! Thornless!"

"Captain Maya!"

A thunderous roar erupted from the audience...

Chapter 46: Heroes - Leaders

A thunderous roar erupted from the audience.

But the players were unusually quiet.

The young Subaru was also inspired by Xia's words, but when she raised her right hand, she noticed the silence here and for a moment she didn't know whether to shout along or remain silent.

"We are different from ordinary people. We can immediately become thornless fighters."

Next to Subaru, Satoshi's voice was calm, as if he had anticipated this situation.

"That is to say, we are not free to express our opinions at will. Those of us who stand within the safe circle..."

Subaru stood up and looked at the audience behind him. He found that although the audience was very loud, about half of them remained silent.

Most of the people who have the leisure to watch the game and still stay here today don’t have to worry about their livelihood.

It is precisely because they live a stable life that they do not want to take risks.

Although the chance of being caught by Caius for talking nonsense is not high, it is not impossible.

I'm afraid that many people who followed in supporting the thornless version are already starting to regret it...

Subaru looked towards Xiaozhi, hoping that she would break the silence among the players.

But after thinking about it carefully, there is no point for Xiaozhi to stand up, because she is now a thornless person.

Standing up might even backfire...

"No, no..."

Subaru watched several times, but still no contestant chose to stand up...

Right,

The most precious thing in a person's life is life.

The difference in combat power between Wu Ci and Caius is so huge. Whether or not you can see the world where everyone is "us" by joining Wu Ci and becoming a MS pilot is beyond the scope of this discussion.

Whether or not you can survive the next battle is another matter...

"Maya-san..."

Rencai was anxious, but helpless.

She couldn't just beat up all the contestants and tie them up, right?

She looked towards the players' positions, with a hint of pleading on her anxious face.

This... stung Subaru.

An and Subaru also know that the current world must change.

But going against Caius is no joke.

Only someone like Xiaozhi, who has no ties except his only friend, can be brave at such a time.

Oftentimes, people are not brave, not because they are cowardly, but because they have too many ties...

If possible, who wouldn't want to be brave once?

But... there's nothing we can do about it,

Wuci's time is too tight. If he had time to find the players one by one in private and protect their families,

Then perhaps, there will be many people who are willing to join Wu Ci,

But...time waits for no one.

Maya had anticipated this situation and was not too disappointed.

She believed that some people would definitely be willing to join Wuci. Next, she only needed to visit homes like a 'class teacher'.

Unlike her mature self, Subaru felt that the current situation was a complete defeat.

She couldn't imagine how Wuci, lacking a pilot, could fight against the powerful Caius.

Just like she couldn't imagine that after Rencai rushed down the hillside, an ordinary girl...

Well, what can a fool like me do in such a chaotic battlefield?

At that time, as a real 'ordinary girl', all Subaru could do was run away.

But now, as a 'player' who has the ability to pilot a mobile suit,

Is the only thing she can do still to run away?

Stupidity can infect stupidity, this sentence is indeed true.

Anyone who is smart knows that it is better to pretend to be dead at this time.

Only a fool would think of standing up...

But now An and Subaru are just idiots.

She... also wants to do what she can do!

"He's not old enough to be a kid yet. He should be playing."

Just as Subaru stood up a little, a large hand pressed on her shoulder and pushed her back into her seat.

She looked back and saw a portly man standing up. "Are there any soldiers from the Unified Army here? Our battle isn't over yet."

"We can't be like Captain George, laughed at by a little kid!" A man with colorful hair stood up and put away the frivolous smile on his face, as if he had instantly become another person.

"Gabriel, reporting from the 2nd MS Battalion, Ranger Regiment, Ural Army, European Theater of Operations!"

"South Asian theater, Brahmaputra Army..."

"The 11th Guerrilla Brigade of the South American Theater..."